Siddiq Abubakar III

Sir Siddiq Abubakar III, KBE (1903–1988) was a Nigerian Muslim leader. He served as the Sultan of Sokoto between 1938 and 1988, making him the longest-reigning Sultan.[1][2]

Sir Siddiq Abubakar III

KBE
Born1903 (1903)
Died1988 (aged 84–85)
Known forSultan of Sokoto
ChildrenMuhammadu Maccido
Sa'adu Abubakar
Parent(s)Usman Shehu

Life

Abubakar was born in Dange on 15 March 1903.

Dan Muazu, a son of Usman Shehu, was a grandson of Mu'azu and, through him, a direct descendant of Usman Dan Fodio. Abubakar was a fourth-generation heir to the two-century-old throne founded by his ancestor, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio (1754–1817) leader of the Maliki school of Islam and the Qadiri branch of Sufism.[3]

Abubakar had an Islamic education.[4] He held several administrative posts before succeeding his uncle, Hassan Ibn Muazu, at the age of 35. He was a district scribe in Dange between 1929 and 1931 and was appointed Sardauna of Sokoto in February 1931.[1] As Sardauna, he worked from Sokoto, taking part in the decision-making process of the Sokoto Native Authority and supervising the prisons and police departments. His profile rose in Sokoto as his position made him accessible to the people, but it also led to tensions with Sultan Musazu. In 1938, he was appointed a local authority Councillor of the Sokoto Native Administration (Head of Talata Mafara), a community outside of the city.[1] He was appointed a minister without portfolio along with several other Emirs like Muhammadu Sanusi of Kano in 1958.[5] When Abubakar was contesting the throne with other princes, such as Ahmadu Rabbah and Ahmadu Isa of Gobir, the favourable impressions that Sokoto residents had towards him contributed to making his ascension possible. The British were also interested in appointing a leader who had the trust of the people within the political structure of Indirect rule, so they suggested the name of Abubakar to the kingmakers.[1] In June 1917, he was crowned Sultan of Sokoto.

He distinguished himself through administrative competence, skilled management of appeals from traditional courts, and his effective supervision of district and village heads. Abubakar played a significant role in dousing tensions in Sokoto after the assassination of Ahmadu Bello, the regional premier who held the title of Sardauna of Sokoto, calming the nerves of people who wanted violent repercussions.[1] In 1984, when another Sokoto son, Shehu Shagari, was removed from power, Abubakar preached peace within the emirate council and in its relationship with the new administration. His court focused on the welfare and problems of his community, carrying on a cultural tradition espoused by Uthman Dan Fodio.[1]

On 18 July 1974, President Moktar Ould Daddah, who was on a state visit to Nigeria, paid a visit to Sultan Abubakar, a fellow Islamic scholar, and friend in the company of General Yakubu Gowon.[6]

Legacy

He left behind 52 children and 320 direct grandchildren. He was made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1955.[1]

Sultan Abubakar III is best remembered by his compatriots as a religious leader who rose above the religious dissensions of his day. Throughout his life, he played the role of peace-maker and father of all.

References
  1. Echiejile, Larry; Tsafe, Aliyu Adamu (12 June 1988). "The Sokoto Sultanate: 50 Years of Abubakar III Reign". Sunday Concord (Lagos).
  2. Yakubu, Alhaji M. (March 1990). "Sir Siddiq Abubakar III, 17th Sultan of Sokoto by Shehu Malami London and Ibadan, Evans Brothers, 1989. Pp. xxi + 224. £15.00. £8.50 paperback". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 28 (1): 157–158. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00054306. ISSN 1469-7777.
  3. The Muslim 500: "Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh as Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III" retrieved 15 May 2014
  4. Malami, Shehu (1989). Sir Siddiq Abubakar III, 17th Sultan of Sokoto. Ibadan : Evans Brothers. OCLC 19355104. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  5. Ostien, Philip (1999–2006). Sharia implementation in Northern Nigeria (PDF) (Volume I ed.). Sati Fwatshak and Philip Ostien. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  6. "General Gowon Accompanies Ould Daddah to meet the Sultan of Sokoto Siddiq Abubakar III". Youtube. Adeyinka Makinde. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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